When my "to-do" list for the game is 3 times as long as my "to-do" list in real-life ....should I be thinking "addict" ???
Learn to cook...learn to fish...learn to use a dagger...make arcanite bars and sell them at the Auction House...do my banking...farm herbs ...make potions ... get my skill levels up...download add-ons that will help me...gather quests in a single area to maximize my efficiency at completing them...level...train...complete more quests...level...assign talent points ...(did I mention level yet ???)
First thing in the morning I check in with coworkers on how their game is going and ask any questions I have from my prior night's playing. We share stories and pointers (mostly I RECEIVE the pointers !) By mid-afternoon, I am thinking about what I will work on that evening. Weekends are planned to allow adequate sleep around at least 1 (sometimes 2) long days and nights of play. Granted, it is winter and I always hibernate a bit more in the winter so this is not actually cutting into any thing REAL I could be doing ...and it has totally replaced my TV watching for the past 3 months ...but IS this addictive or is it just so engaging and fun that it has become is a daily activity I love???
Some people exercise every day - they enjoy the benefits, or the process itself, of exercising. Their body and mind respond to the practice of exercise - perhaps they have friends they work-out with, perhaps they look forward to the comaraderie (or solitude) they have built around that activity. Exercise can be addictive - but for the most part it is satisfying and healthy and often social.
The Guild (group) I belong to in the game is made up of people from all ages and walks of life. At almost anytime round-the-clock - someone is online and playing. We live in all different parts of the USA and of the world. If I want to chat with, or quest with, people that I have come to consider my friends (and like-family) online I can do so. I can also just play the game in peace and quiet and solitude. I get satisfaction out of accomplishing goals, learning new things and making progress in the game. I enjoy the mental activity (they say you need to keep those brain cells firing as you age!) and the challenges of mastering strategy to be successful...and I love my fellow guildees and other friends I have made in the game!
I think that this game, like exercise or other things we do for enjoyment, is basically a good thing. Those who choose WOW over running a mile, swimming laps, quilting ...etc. are just expressing "them"selves to their fullest. Games are fun and stimulating ...interaction with others is healthy (yes, even ingame interaction IS interaction) and loving what you're doing is the best feeling of all.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Choosing sides ...
In WOW, you are given 'quests' (tasks to complete) that will gain you money, goods to keep or sell, or provide you with 'reputation' amongst other groups within the game. A recent quest I was on required me to gain the favor of one group over another. I could choose which of the two groups I wanted to side with, but I then had to kill enough of the other group to gain favor with my chosen side.
The first thing that got my attention as I started killing the MOBs (characters) that I had labeled 'the bad-guys', was that I lost 100 points of reputation (favor) with their side while only gaining 4-6 points of favor with the side I was currying favor with !!! Over the course of my killing spree I had killed quite a few of my chosen bad-guys, making their side totally pissed at me, while I still had NOT gained favor with my chosen good-guys.
RL (real-life) is often a losing battle like this, I think. Often we try to gain favor, and in the course of our attempts - the scales do not balance between the weight of harm we are doing and the results we are trying achieve.
How many times in childhood, school years, and adult life have you felt pressure (from within or without) to choose sides? How many times do we let ourselves be governed by some arbitrary set of rules into behaving in ways we would not usually behave? I can well remember such times in my life, and in the actions of organizations I belong to, communities I have lived in, and jobs I have held. I am sure I have been party to such actions many more times than I care to admit.
Personal memories of having school friends that spanned diverse cliques flooded my memory. Always wondering WHY should I have to choose one set of friends over another; WHY can't we all just get along; WHY should I scorn, or ignore, someone I would otherwise befriend just to fit in with a particular group; WHY can’t I just be friendly with whom I choose?? WHY WHY WHY ...
Although there may be millions of seemingly valid reasons WHY we do these things in life...I hope I never forget to stop once in a while and remind myself that I have choices - not mandates - and I hope upon weighing the outcomes I make better decisions ...after all ..."why not"?
The first thing that got my attention as I started killing the MOBs (characters) that I had labeled 'the bad-guys', was that I lost 100 points of reputation (favor) with their side while only gaining 4-6 points of favor with the side I was currying favor with !!! Over the course of my killing spree I had killed quite a few of my chosen bad-guys, making their side totally pissed at me, while I still had NOT gained favor with my chosen good-guys.
RL (real-life) is often a losing battle like this, I think. Often we try to gain favor, and in the course of our attempts - the scales do not balance between the weight of harm we are doing and the results we are trying achieve.
How many times in childhood, school years, and adult life have you felt pressure (from within or without) to choose sides? How many times do we let ourselves be governed by some arbitrary set of rules into behaving in ways we would not usually behave? I can well remember such times in my life, and in the actions of organizations I belong to, communities I have lived in, and jobs I have held. I am sure I have been party to such actions many more times than I care to admit.
Personal memories of having school friends that spanned diverse cliques flooded my memory. Always wondering WHY should I have to choose one set of friends over another; WHY can't we all just get along; WHY should I scorn, or ignore, someone I would otherwise befriend just to fit in with a particular group; WHY can’t I just be friendly with whom I choose?? WHY WHY WHY ...
Although there may be millions of seemingly valid reasons WHY we do these things in life...I hope I never forget to stop once in a while and remind myself that I have choices - not mandates - and I hope upon weighing the outcomes I make better decisions ...after all ..."why not"?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
My life as ‘Pi’
My life as ‘Pi’
Reflections on becoming a ‘Toon Part 1 January 2008
At the ripe age of 51, last fall, I was finally cajoled into trying my hand at online gaming by several coworkers. I never really played video games before – let alone online games of any kind..I do however come from a family where board and card games have been a part of family gatherings for my entire life. I decided to try it for a month, if only to be able to honestly say “I tried it and did not like it”!
Not only did I like it, I am HOOKED !!! I fell hook, line and sinker into the world of WOW ..(World of Warcraft ™). I have found an exciting new perspective on the meaning of the word ‘community’ … and the similarities to real life astound me every time I take a moment to compare, and contrast, life inside and outside of the game.
As a total novice to gaming, these ramblings will reflect my own personal experience as I navigate a totally new world. As you can imagine, entering a new world for the first time there are the obvious social and language problems. Acronyms abound! Not being from the “text-me” generation, I am having to learn an entire new vocabulary and learn it in abbreviated form to boot! Learning to maneuver my ‘Toon (character) in a new environment has also proved challenging. Not having mastered the eye-hand coordination necessary for gaming quite yet, I can be seen walking into walls, falling off of bridges, and spinning in circles frequently. Add in a little computer lag time, and you might also see me sailing back and forth across a ocean repeated times while being unable to disembark from my boat!
I have had to learn all about map reading and compass directions. There is nothing quite as frustrating as looking at the little compass in the upper right hand side of the screen, flipping back and forth to a map, and still ending up in the wrong place! For the first 8 weeks I played, I swore that the computer compass pointer was reversed. No matter what friends told me to the contrary, I had to finally figure it out for myself … the compass is always right …I was not!
Reflections on becoming a ‘Toon Part 1 January 2008
At the ripe age of 51, last fall, I was finally cajoled into trying my hand at online gaming by several coworkers. I never really played video games before – let alone online games of any kind..I do however come from a family where board and card games have been a part of family gatherings for my entire life. I decided to try it for a month, if only to be able to honestly say “I tried it and did not like it”!
Not only did I like it, I am HOOKED !!! I fell hook, line and sinker into the world of WOW ..(World of Warcraft ™). I have found an exciting new perspective on the meaning of the word ‘community’ … and the similarities to real life astound me every time I take a moment to compare, and contrast, life inside and outside of the game.
As a total novice to gaming, these ramblings will reflect my own personal experience as I navigate a totally new world. As you can imagine, entering a new world for the first time there are the obvious social and language problems. Acronyms abound! Not being from the “text-me” generation, I am having to learn an entire new vocabulary and learn it in abbreviated form to boot! Learning to maneuver my ‘Toon (character) in a new environment has also proved challenging. Not having mastered the eye-hand coordination necessary for gaming quite yet, I can be seen walking into walls, falling off of bridges, and spinning in circles frequently. Add in a little computer lag time, and you might also see me sailing back and forth across a ocean repeated times while being unable to disembark from my boat!
I have had to learn all about map reading and compass directions. There is nothing quite as frustrating as looking at the little compass in the upper right hand side of the screen, flipping back and forth to a map, and still ending up in the wrong place! For the first 8 weeks I played, I swore that the computer compass pointer was reversed. No matter what friends told me to the contrary, I had to finally figure it out for myself … the compass is always right …I was not!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year's 2008
May 2008 hold ….
Food for thought … so that we never forget to question …
to seek answers …
Music for our souls … so that we remember to listen …
to absorb …
Moments of joy and laughter … so that we revel in the life that we live … so that we ‘live’ the life we have been given…
Time for family and friends …so that we feel surrounded by love … so that we have a safe place in which to love others …
~
…May 2008 hold the memories from our past just a step behind us …so we remember where we have been …
,.. May 2008 hold the future just a step ahead of us … so that we have hope and goals to strive for …
May 2008 hold every moment just long enough for us to live it fully ..
Blessings to you in the New Year
Love,
Louise
Food for thought … so that we never forget to question …
to seek answers …
Music for our souls … so that we remember to listen …
to absorb …
Moments of joy and laughter … so that we revel in the life that we live … so that we ‘live’ the life we have been given…
Time for family and friends …so that we feel surrounded by love … so that we have a safe place in which to love others …
~
…May 2008 hold the memories from our past just a step behind us …so we remember where we have been …
,.. May 2008 hold the future just a step ahead of us … so that we have hope and goals to strive for …
May 2008 hold every moment just long enough for us to live it fully ..
Blessings to you in the New Year
Love,
Louise
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Why do we do it? ( 7/17/2007 )
Why do we do it? Why do we get up time and time again …after life has dealt us blows and stand to face the dawn with renewed hope? Why do we dare to dream a new dream, knowing that it may be taken from us at any moment? Why do we find our voice and dare to speak our story, after it has fallen again and again on deaf ears? Why do we persist when others fall back? Why do we struggle to bloom when others give up, shrivel and fade?
We do it ... because we know the truth …that the trials of life and love give us the opportunity to either harden like steel into a sword – ready to pierce those who try to get to close to us…or we can choose to melt in the flames and rise from the ashes; to become new and whole again. To take all that we are and all that we ever have been and rework the pieces into a new, stronger, wiser person ... the next evolution of ‘us’. So in that renaissance, we stand ready to face a new day.
We do it ... because we know the truth …that the trials of life and love give us the opportunity to either harden like steel into a sword – ready to pierce those who try to get to close to us…or we can choose to melt in the flames and rise from the ashes; to become new and whole again. To take all that we are and all that we ever have been and rework the pieces into a new, stronger, wiser person ... the next evolution of ‘us’. So in that renaissance, we stand ready to face a new day.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Father's Day 2007
Fathers Day 2007
Dads teach us;
By their actions;
By their inactions;
By their words;
By their silence;
By the way they live;
And ….by the way they die.
We are taught many “things” by our dads ….like
How to fish;
How to plant a garden;
How to bake bread;
How to shoot a gun;
How to play a sport;
How to hold an injured pet.
In teachings us the “things” of life, Dads silently show us our “way” through life …
How to be trustworthy;
How to be strong;
How to be honest;
How to be loving;
How to celebrate life;
How to accept death.
Dads are special… for all the lessons and for all the love.
Wishing you a very Happy Father’s Day ….
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Soul Mates ( 3/30/2007 )
Soul Mates
If we are aware – at least once in our lives we are blessed with the recognition of someone who resonates with our very soul; someone who is exactly in sync with the very essence of who we are at that particular moment in time.
If we are lucky -- we get to spend countless moments in the presence of another person with whom words are not necessary; where thoughts and feelings meld; where lives are simultaneously shared and experienced; where experiences are written on two souls at one time.
If we are present – we can savor the joy of being heard without speaking a word; we can dance to silent melodies; and we can live unafraid of judgment because it does not, it cannot, exist here.
If we are patient – we can chain together these moments; linking one to another in ways that can never be severed by time, or distance, or lifetimes.
If we are brave – we can always call upon each other at a moments notice because we know the call will always be answered; we know that the essence of one lives in the soul of the other; and that we are never separated even though our bodies may be.
If we are wise – we will recognize that all we have to do is to look within ourselves to see our reflection; and in seeing that reflection, we see each other, we see the world, we see God.
If we are aware – at least once in our lives we are blessed with the recognition of someone who resonates with our very soul; someone who is exactly in sync with the very essence of who we are at that particular moment in time.
If we are lucky -- we get to spend countless moments in the presence of another person with whom words are not necessary; where thoughts and feelings meld; where lives are simultaneously shared and experienced; where experiences are written on two souls at one time.
If we are present – we can savor the joy of being heard without speaking a word; we can dance to silent melodies; and we can live unafraid of judgment because it does not, it cannot, exist here.
If we are patient – we can chain together these moments; linking one to another in ways that can never be severed by time, or distance, or lifetimes.
If we are brave – we can always call upon each other at a moments notice because we know the call will always be answered; we know that the essence of one lives in the soul of the other; and that we are never separated even though our bodies may be.
If we are wise – we will recognize that all we have to do is to look within ourselves to see our reflection; and in seeing that reflection, we see each other, we see the world, we see God.
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